


Without My Flame

by goodbyekillingharmony



Series: Without My Flame [1]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Universe, F/F, Steven Universe Alternate Universe, Tags May Change, Warnings May Change, im an su nerd i just dont show it, more tags tba, poor sapphire omg, ruby dies lol, rupphire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-17 04:21:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15453240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodbyekillingharmony/pseuds/goodbyekillingharmony
Summary: Without My Flame is a Steven Universe alternate universe where Ruby gets shattered. The following chapters after the first few will be showcasing the impact for the Crystal Gems and Co. on how it's like to lose such an important member of the family.





	1. Smile No Matter What

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, this a reboot of my old, old au. Here are a few notes; 
> 
> 1\. This first chapter is more of a prologue, so I didn't want it to be too dragged out.
> 
> 2\. I started this over a year ago and will be continuing with that mindset. Bascially, none of the reveals in the newer episodes will be shown right away.
> 
> also hello to anyone from steven universe amino lol

[The future is an anomaly to say the least. They say it can bring happiness, joy, or any other positive outlook someone may say. But, only in ignorance. Knowing something, anything really, comes back with its own price. The hardship of the truth and knowledge is what many don't see, the one's who do, well, they would be better off.

Garnet woke up, her frame shaking uncontrollably as she save something that cannot be denied. The ending of an already dimlit story. The howling wind was a sign. No, more of a calling. Accepting something as drastic as that? Why should she? It's hopeless. It's a path of despair. The path she isn't ready to face. Not yet. The diamonds. Not now. Any other time.

"I-?"

The heat and cold parts of the fusion started to dismantle. Started to break. It was a rift. They both saw it. That was their destiny they chose, that one fateful day.

"No.. W-What even was that?"

Denial. That was their only bliss. Ignorance was out of the table, Garnet knew exactly what was going to happen. The future that seemed chosen for her, the one from trillions of possibilities. That hard reality. What else can she do?

"I-I don't know.. But, we can't just sit here and do nothing about it!"

"You're not implying that we-?"

"I think it's the best call.."

"But-"

"Please. Trust me. I don't know how your future vision works, but, let me try."

The gentle, yet rough light shined throughout the room as both the gems unfused. Without hesitation, Ruby grabbed Sapphire's hand as she dragged her across the small area of the living room floor. Sapphire gently slapped her partner's hand as she looked over to Steven, who thankfully was still asleep. She sighed and looked over at Ruby, the facade of her brave face she put on was only that, a facade. The sheer amount of worry and somber was ever present behind that face. It shook Sapphire to her very core.

The blue gem took Ruby's arm and carefully approached the front door of the temple, opening it ever so slowly as to not wake the sleeping boy. Carefully closing it once both of the gems exited the room. She gently turned around to face the red gem, her face starting to break from her utter fear alone, the smile that was earlier there was gone, she was now showcasing her pure raw emotion.

Sapphire closed her eyes. Forcing the biggest smile she could before tears started flowing out of her cerulean blue optic. Ruby immediately noticing as her own tears started flowing as well, the storm from earlier starting to brew into something more. It was coming. They both knew.

Ruby's soft arms around her small frame were enough for the blue gem. Her tears becoming more frequent as her frame shook uncontrollably. The first few rain drops started to fall, the weather was starting to go haywire.  
She wouldn't call it fear. It was more of acceptance and denial. A dangerous mix. Why her? Why Ruby?

The thunderous roar of the storm became louder, more aggressive. The rain started flowing as hard as their tears did, to the point where there is no room for denial. They had to accept that fate, they had to. She had to. 

Sapphire felt the red gem slowly backing away from her, as she looked on to her partner. Ruby's eyes were still puffy, red. The heat emanating from her body was nothing both of the gems had ever experienced before. The sheer raw willpower was overwhelming, even for the host. But, she had to. One small sacrifice. She knew the others were strong enough to deal with it. She won't be forgotten.

Even though she'll be shattered, she won't be forgotten.

A small meek voice is what interrupted both of their train of thoughts. A voice of innocence and purity. Something kicked in to the both of them. This wasn't a dream. This was the cold, hard truth.

"Ruby? Sapphire? W-What are you doing up?"


	2. Scars Etched by Flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven confronts Ruby and Sapphire. The blue gem couldn't handle the heat and now Steven has the task of calming the Eternal Flame.  
> Something is in the night sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bazinga. heyo peeps from sua (maybe).  
> here is the second chapter.  
> kind of a warning: this au is kinda testing the water s a bit with emotions and such. so if you don't like angst, then this au is something you shouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.

_The prelude to one's own demise is something that cannot be explained by simple words, nor actions. Something we all don't face, yet we all must. An inescapable fact, so to say. For something to begin, naturally, something must end. A chapter for a new beginning._   
  
A faint voice is all it took. A slight change in decibels of even a thunderous roar caused by mother nature herself. As meek as it was, the significance of that single bit of audio was all it took. It belonged to an especially important person, the son of their former leader.   
  
“You guys...! What are you doing? G-Get back inside!”

Though drowned out mostly by the oncoming storm, both of the gems heard it loud and clear. Simple words that shook them to their core, even more than previously. 

Although it's going to take more than words.

Rational thought was out of the question. Why would she have to deal with this? It isn't fair.

As fast as her legs could carry her, Sapphire ran. Ignoring the voices, inside and outside her head. The only thing audible was her own feet tapping against the sandy terrain. There was a  light in her eyes as bright as the sun. It wasn't a light. It was the beginning of the end. The beginning of her blue eyes losing their shine. The end is not clear. It seems that it won't be until it's all over.

Despite the combined efforts, the attempts turned out futile. Running off of pure desperation and determination in the very core of the young boy, without hesitation he ran inside of the temple, not before leaving Ruby with some words, his voice clear and straightforward, a rare trait in the teen started shining through as brightly as his own gem.

“I'll go get the others. Tell us everything when I get back. Take some deep breaths, Ruby.”

“B-But what if she ran away? I can't just stand there! W-What are you trying to say? Everything was f-fine… S-She… She…”

The gem was never mad at Universe before now. The flames in her body started to grow bigger and roar with life, before the storm put them down again. The vicious cycle continued as she started spouting out words without meaning. Without structure. She was at a loss. Her voice extinguishing after every sentence as the storm started to approach even closer.

He was what took her back to reality, it seemed.

“Ruby… You know better than anyone she won't. She wouldn't want to see you like this…  C’mon, it's gonna be fine.”

_ “I'm going to be shattered! Shattered into nothingness!” _

However, she was the one who took him to the real reality. The harsh reality. Where she can't escape, the circumstances finally setting in as she started burning brighter than she ever was, her face frozen into a still of absolute nothingness. One might say it's a reflection.

The young boy felt himself backing up as Ruby started to slowly walk down the stairs, her fist gripping to the point where it seemed to be emanating it's own light, brighter than even the eternal flame.

A faint sound approached the young boy.

Footsteps.

Two pairs to be exact.

“Steven? What happened?”

“Man, I was trying to sleep…”

The contrasting voices in both wavelength, volume and tone conflicted with one another until a third voice broke the conflict for good, although with his own tone it was anything but optimistic, rather meek with it cracking every so often, tears threatening to leave the brown eyes of the young teenager.

_ “R-Ruby and S-Sapphire. Something's w-wrong…” _

A shock of nature’s greatest weapon, the start of disasters alike, is sometimes all that it takes to set a series of events to motion. One observer can overpower oblivion at any rate. 

Pearl was carefully analysing the sky while Steven was explaining the sequence of events to Amethyst, taking in all of his words in an uncommon analytical way. Asking questions and receiving answers.

Something intrigued the taller crystal gem, however. Something that only she could pay attention too, no matter how drastic the situation with her fellow teammates were. Something wasn't right. 

A glow was emanating from her gem, her signature weapon drawn as she slowly walked forward, her stance was full of cowardice that not even the ever-so-elegant warrior could hide.

Steven took a glance up at a sky and his world was shattered in two. 

_**“G-G-Guys!? W-What is that?”** _

A large object was present in the sky. Brighter than any star in the galaxy, darker and blacker than any moonless night. It was that type of presence. A presence of fear and dominance was overbearing. It was a fight that cannot be won, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth fighting for.

Ruby ran. And ran, ran and ran again. The endless sand of the large beach was becoming too much. She left destruction in her wake with every step. Burned furniture, property, even nature couldn't escape her fury. The slight patch of grass, the beach equipment, all burnt to a piece. She couldn't focus on everything, with each step her vision was getting blurrier, the gem couldn't feel anything around her. Ruby was lost.

A single blinding light from a ship and everything snapped back into place for the small gem. Just as it should be.

The rain stopped. Only the howling wind remained with a sinister undertone behind that nobody could ignore. The upcoming danger it real.

Nothing can stop destiny from changing. It catches up to you.

_ “When did this…?” _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fllw me on amino and ig pls
> 
> ig - @mitsu.png  
> sua - mistree

**Author's Note:**

> fllw me on social mediaz pls ;
> 
> ig - @mitsu.jpg


End file.
